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N.Y. Panel Pitches Voting Reforms
by Maureen Sirhal
New York's election authorities should create a "voter bill of rights" and a statewide voter-registration database, as well as ease restrictions on voting systems that hamper modernization. Those are some of the recommendations contained in a new report that the New York State Task Force on Election Modernization unveiled this week.
With support from state legislative leaders, Gov. George Pataki created the nonpartisan task force in February 2001. New York City attorney Peter James Johnson chaired the task force, which was composed of various state legislators and county officers.
The task force recommended that the state ease restrictions on the use of certain technologies in voting. In particular, the task force questioned the state's "full face" ballot mandate, which requires that all candidates' names be listed on a single page. On Tuesday, Pataki responded to the task force's recommendations by proposing that the requirement for the full-face ballot be relaxed.
Upgrading the voting system may require as mush as $200 million from federal, state and local governments. The task force report calls for the creation of a capital fund to store anticipated federal funding that would become authorized under a measure pending before Congress. The state could be eligible for up to $135 million under potential federal programs.
Technology serves as a key platform in the report. The task force urges local officials to test new technologies to upgrade voting procedures and tools, and to implement new procurement processes aimed at leveraging power when buying new equipment and technologies. The report also recommends that counties consider the feasibility of leasing voting systems because of the rapid pace of technological innovation and high purchasing costs.
The proposed voter-registration database in the report seeks to ensure the accuracy of voting records and check for duplicate registrations. That database should be available to multiple jurisdictions so they may share information to update records, the report said.
"The state of New York is poised and ready to take advantage of the expected federal assistance that will help ensure New York state's leadership in fair, innovative and effective voting for all New Yorkers," Johnson said.
Paying The Recycling Piper
Some California consumers would be less likely to buy new electronic products if a recycling fee is added to the price of the products, according to a poll released Wednesday.
The state legislature is considering such a fee, and 34 percent of respondents to the poll, conducted by eBrain Market Research for the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), said they would be less likely to buy electronic or computer equipment if a $5 recycling fee were added. The survey also found that the percentage of reluctant buyers rose along with the cost of the recycling fee. Fifty-three percent of respondents said a $10 fee would decrease their likelihood of purchasing equipment, while the tally rose to 74 percent for a $20 fee.
Meanwhile, 58 percent of respondents said they would purchase equipment online to avoid the fees. Although 78 percent of respondents said electronics recycling is important, 59 percent believed that such efforts should be voluntary.
Two bills, S.B. 1619 and S.B. 1523, are pending before the California Senate. The measures would impose a recycling fee of up to $30 on computer monitors and televisions with cathode ray tubes. EIA argues that the bills would decrease state tax revenue by spurring more residents to make out-of-state purchases online to avoid the fee.
"EIA strongly encourages responsible recycling of electronics products as the best option at the end of [product] life," said Heather Bowman, director of EIA environmental policy, in a statement. "But we need to ensure that any solution addresses the needs of the consumer. Instead of imposing a 'tech tax' on California consumers, we need to direct our efforts at developing a voluntary, cost-effective and consumer-friendly system that results in increased, environmentally sound recycling. We don't believe the California bills further these goals."
Tech Issues Are On Western Leaders' Agenda
The Western Governors' Association (WGA) will hold its annual meeting in Phoenix next week, and the governors will discuss security and education, among other things.
One conference session will focus on homeland security strategies and technologies. The session will focus on trade and President Bush's proposal for a new Homeland Security Department. Speakers will include Mark Holman, chief of staff for the White House Homeland Security Office.
Another session will focus on state strategies for improving student knowledge. The session will emphasize the consensus that improving performance in schools is key to the nation's economy. Intel CEO Craig Barrett will be the keynote speaker, and new technologies for improving health also will be presented. Other conference sessions will focus on energy and promoting tourism.
Meanwhile, chief information officers (CIOs) of the Western states will hold a summit July 28 in Colorado. Featured panelists will include White House Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, various governors, and Deborah Daniels, an assistant U.S. attorney general. California's acting CIO, Robert Dresser, also has been invited to discuss cyber threats and cyber terrorism.
A roundtable on cyber security will feature several state CIOs, federal Homeland Security CIO Steve Cooper, Nancy Wong of the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, Federal Emergency Management Agency CIO Ron Miller, and Sallie McDonald, assistant commissioner for the Office of Information Assurance and Critical Infrastructure Protection at the General Services Administration. Harold Hendershot, chief of the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center, also will give a presentation.
Other topics at the summit will include implementation of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, e-government and the high-speed Internet. Other speakers will include Mark Forman, the White House Office of Management and Budget's e-government chief, a representative from the federal portal FirstGov.gov, and Judith Spencer, chairwoman of the Federal PKI Steering Committee.
More Tech Talk Here And Abroad
The National Governors Association is hosting its own security conference over three days in Boise, Idaho, beginning July 13. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Al From, founder of the Democratic Leadership Council, will address the governors, as will tech leaders such as Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers, Micron Technologies CEO Steven Appleton and PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway.
Meanwhile, the Louisiana Technology Council is hosting a local conference to show businesses how they can aid homeland security efforts. The June 28 conference will examine where the federal government is directing homeland security grants, and the event will feature William Bertrand, co-director of the Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, and Ronald Branch, captain of the Port of New Orleans for the Coast Guard.
This week, Virginia Technology Secretary George Newstrom is in Singapore as part of a global gathering of business and government leaders discussing the integration of economies throughout Asia. As chairman of the World Information and Technology Services Alliance, Newstrom will be presenting information on connecting cities throughout Asia. He also will head to Beijing to meet with China's minister for information technology, as well as local officials and top business leaders there.
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